House's fate in voters' hands

Residents will gather in the Chocksett Middle School gym at 7 p.m. Monday for a special town meeting to take care of at least one major housekeeping duty.

The house in question is at 3 Gates Terrace, and has been empty for years, its condition steadily deteriorating. The owners, Geoffrey and Sandra Jackson, have been located in Mississippi and are willing to give the town the deed in lieu of foreclosure. Voters are being asked to decide if the town should take control of the property.

"The town takes possession of the property without having to go through land court. The town in essence forgives the taxes due (totaling $10,809.19) in trade for possession of the property," the town meeting warrant explains.

A second warrant article authorizes selectmen to sell the Jacksons' property to recoup the taxes and costs associated with it.

Voters also will be asked to authorize the transfer of $20,267 from the stabilization account to a new payroll line item with the police budget to be called Military pay.

"This pays Officer [David] Johnson the difference between his military pay and his police pay for the time he spent on active military duty," the warrant says.

The town also is asking for a personnel bylaw to add the position of administrative assistant for the planning board. If the article passes, the position will be a regular part-time job of 20 hours per week.

"The reason for the change from contract employee to town employee is for legal issues," the warrant states.

Another warrant asks the town to authorize the board of selectmen to sell a conservation restriction on about 82.4 acres of the town forest, located off Holden and Princeton roads, to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation for $180,000.

Finally, voters will be asked to spend $116,748 to be combined with Article 36 of the annual town meeting. This article allows the town to expend money under

Chapter 90 for road maintenance, equipment purchases, and other projects reimbursed by the commonwealth.

The remainder of the articles deal with the payment of bills, most of the funds coming from the stabilization account:

+ $732.72 for Butterick Building and $87.25 for the 1835 Town Hall to the Sterling Municipal Light Department;

+ $267 to the Fallon Clinic, and $1,084 to the department of public works;

+ $5,774 for costs related to ambulance operations: $166.75 to Airgas East, $350.90 to the Sterling DPW for fuel, $975.57 to Medicompts, and $4,281.40 to the Town of Lancaster EMS;